Made To Shine: Enjoy & Reflect God's LightPrøve

Serving Up Your Gift She had planned for this day for months, and it was finally here. The Mother’s Day brunch looked beautiful, with gorgeous floral arrangements and colorful tablecloths. The stage was set for the speakers and the volunteers were in their places with welcoming smiles on their beautiful faces. And while she was so glad it had all come together, she knew that the event wasn’t successful because of her, but because of all the people who helped—all the people who used their various gifts to serve the Lord. In I Peter 4:10 (NIV) we read, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Peter is simply stating that we all have our own unique gifts and we should use them to serve others. When we do this, God’s grace is poured out in different ways onto those we serve, making for a desirable overall experience. But here’s where the trap comes into play. Sometimes we start comparing our gift to our sister’s gift and we believe the enemy’s lie when he tells us, “Your gift isn’t special. It’s not nearly as good as hers is. You don’t have anything to offer so you might as well stay home.” Don’t believe that for a single second! Without you faithfully administering YOUR gift, the blessing for those present will never be as great as it could be. It takes all the gifts to have a successful day of worship! Whether it be leading, singing, painting, speaking, or cooking, your gift is both unique and needed. You are essential to the successful administration of God’s grace. Without you, it just won’t be as special. So, serve up your gift! Father, we look to You for guidance on how to serve with our unique gift that You have given us. Let us resist the voice of the enemy and be willing to administer Your amazing grace to those we serve.